1 Response to wb77connors_mcenroe

1. Voo de Mar says:

   July 23, 2024 at 1:50 pm

   Points won by each set: | 31-24, 32-25, 32-37, 40-33 |
   Points won directly behind the serve:
   23 % Connors – 28 of 118
   29 % McEnroe – 40 of 136

   The first of 34 official meetings between two best US players of the 70s and 80s, both of Irish roots (Ó Conchobhair and Mac Conruadh in Gaelic), albeit Stan Smith achieved more than McEnroe given only the 70s… The 18-year-old McEnroe [233] became one of the most unexpected major semifinalists in the Open Era. The teenage New Yorker was a qualifier at Wimbledon ’77, playing just fifth (!) main-level event. After the quarterfinal win over Dent, he couldn’t play in the junior event which ended his career among 18-years-old and younger. It seemed the semifinal would be a one-way traffic for seven years older Connors [1], but he missed an easy volley at *4:3 (40/30) in the 3rd set, and the intimidated McEnroe came back taking the set (7 out of 10 games won by receivers) after three consecutive backhand passing-shot winners! McEnroe advanced to no. 71, by the end of the year to the Top 20 and basically stayed there for the remaining 15 years of his career! # Three years later they will play another Wimbledon semifinal – that time after a similar match in terms of the scoreline, McEnroe – a slight favorite this time – prevails.

   # Comparison of their two similar scorelines in Wimbly semifinals:
   1977: Connors d. McEnroe 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4… 2 hours 35 minutes… Total points: 135-119
   1980: McEnroe d. Connors 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4… 3 hours 5 minutes… Total points: 125-116

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